Carmine's Celebrates by Glenn Rolnick & Chris Peterson

Author:Glenn Rolnick & Chris Peterson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2014-10-06T17:00:00+00:00

THE ITALIAN PANTRY: EVER-ESSENTIAL GARLIC

You have only to smell garlic sizzling in hot olive oil, or taste the sweet, creamy essence of roasted garlic, to understand why this herb occupies such a central place in Italian cuisine.

It finds its way into antipasti, entrées, desserts, and even drinks. In fact, garlic complements everything from fish to pork, tomatoes to cheese. Still, more is not necessarily better; Italians use it often but sparingly, exercising the same balance and thoughtfulness they bring to all ingredients.

Before you begin peeling and chopping, you’ll need to choose from among the hundreds of varieties. Only two types of the species allium sativum are regularly used as culinary garlic: softneck and hardneck. The aptly named “silverskin” variety of softneck garlic is the most universally available. It is so popular because it splits the difference between the more powerful wild garlic and the more moderate “weed” garlics.

Hardneck garlic is distinguished by a signature long, thick, sturdy stalk that runs right through the center of the bulb. Hardneck varieties such as Rocambole are prized for deep, full, rich flavors. The hardneck Purple Stripe garlic is a favorite for roasting.

Buying the Right Bulb

Getting the best flavor out of any bulb of garlic means buying the freshest you can find. Look for firm bulbs with no soft spots or obvious rot or discoloration. Softneck varieties should have layers of papery “sheath” protecting the cloves and forming a tight bulb. Avoid bulbs that show any green growth or exposed cloves. The bulb shouldn’t have any discernible odor.

Pantry Garlic

Although a garlic braid can be a wonderful accent to your kitchen decor, any garlic you keep on hand should be as fresh as possible. Ideally, buy what you need on a weekly basis, using all the garlic you have on hand.

Avoid jarred, minced garlic. The surface areas are exposed to air, which quickly degrades the flavor. It isn’t wise to infuse oil with cut garlic, because garlic stored in oil has been found to harbor botulism toxins. If you want to make use of extra garlic before it begins to dry out, roast it. You’ll find our recipe for that kitchen staple on here.

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